title: Clinical trials in Brazilian journals of ophthalmology: where we are.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare clinical trials published in Brazilian journals of ophthalmology and in foreign journals of ophthalmology with respect to the number of citations and the quality of reporting [by applying the Consolidated Standards for Reporting Trials (CONSORT) statement writing standards].
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample of this systematic review comprised the two Brazilian journals of ophthalmology indexed at Science Citation Index Expanded and six of the foreign journals of ophthalmology with highest Impact Factor® according ISI. All clinical trials (CTs) published from January 2009 to December 2010 at the Brazilians journals and a 1:1 randomized sample of the foreign journals were included. The primary outcome was the number of citations through the end of 2011. Subgroup analysis included language. The secondary outcome included likelihood of citation (cited at least once versus no citation), and presence or absence of CONSORT statement indicators.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The citation counts were statistically significantly higher (P<0.001) in the Foreign Group (10.50) compared with the Brazilian Group (0.45). The likelihood citation was statistically significantly higher (P<0.001) in the Foreign Group (20/20 - 100%) compared with the Brazilian Group (8/20 - 40%). The subgroup analysis of the language influence in Brazilian articles showed that the citation counts were statistically significantly higher in the papers published in English (P<0.04). Of 37 possible CONSORT items, the mean for the Foreign Group was 20.55 and for the Brazilian Group was 13.65 (P<0.003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The number of citations and the quality of reporting of clinical trials in Brazilian journals of ophthalmology still are low when compared with the foreign journals of ophthalmology with highest Impact Factor®.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas - UNICAMP - Campinas (SP), Brazil. rodrigopclira@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Rodrigo Pessoa Cavalcanti
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Lira
authors.forename: Franz Schubert
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Leal
authors.forename: Fauze Abdulmassih
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.forename: Fernando Henrique Ramos
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Amorim
authors.forename: João Paulo Fernandes
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Felix
authors.forename: Carlos Eduardo Leite
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Arieta
mesh_terms: D015706:Bibliometrics; D001938:Brazil; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D055811:Journal Impact Factor; D009885:Ophthalmology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010506:Periodicals as Topic / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*